As always, but especially now during COVID-19, Midwest Artist Project Services is dedicated to offering low-cost or free services and resources to artists of all disciplines, collectives, and emerging nonprofits in the St. Louis region. We are modifying existing programs, organizing new resources, and taking time to listen to the stories and challenges of those we serve in response to these unprecedented times and the extraordinary impact of COVID-19 on the arts community. Currently, we are:

Opening our fiscal sponsorship program to assist initiatives responding to the crisis;

Sharing an up-to-date list of arts and social service resources for affected St. Louis artists and art organizations;

Collecting feedback via a survey to provide relevant programming as well as raise awareness about the impacts of COVID-19 on the local arts / creative community;

This year’s fiscal sponsorship program will focus solely on assisting initiatives led by creative individuals and independent collectives that are responding to the COVID-19 crisis. The opportunity is for efforts that need a fiscal sponsor with 501c3 nonprofit status to accept in-kind gifts of materials and supplies or tax-deductible donations in order to make the project happen. Applicants should already have donors identified before submitting an application.

Examples of opportunities may include, but are not limited to: in-kind donations of materials for independent makers to create masks and other equipment for health care workers; donations of equipment to facilitate the creation and sharing of creative programming (i.e. video/recording equipment); or donations to support new or adapted arts and arts education programs serving communities affected by the crisis.

Applications will be reviewed by the MAPS Board on a rolling basis, with a deadline every other Friday at 5:00 pm beginning April 10, with notification the following week. Upcoming deadlines will be April 10, April 24, and May 8.

We gathered approximately 50 different resources for artists, collectives, emerging nonprofits, and creative businesses who are impacted by COVID-19 into one list. This list was made specifically with St. Louis artists and art organizations in mind. It includes a broad range of national to local resources: emergency funding for un/underemployment and healthcare; mutual and peer support; updated funder guidelines for existing grants; housing, rent, and utility assistance; workshops, webinars, and clinics; artmaking; many existing lists or resources.

The list will be regularly maintained to provide up-to-date resources. We suggest starting your resource search by category and reading the description to find best fit resources.

This survey is for artists, collectives, emerging arts nonprofits, or creative businesses in the St. Louis region. MAPS will use your feedback to provide relevant programming as well as raise awareness about the impacts on as well as stories and needs of the artistic / creative community during COVID-19.

We want to hear from you—please take five minutes to complete the survey now.

Our popular one-on-one consultations for general project management, grant application review, and marketing / PR have temporary moved online. Consultations cost $15 and are hour-long sessions with arts professionals.

Consultation fees will be waived for those facing financial hardship; please email info@midwestarts.org to request a free consultation.